The Bahamas have over 700 islands (about 30 are inhabited) with most emergency medical services concentrated in the capital Nassau (New Providence) and Grand Bahama

On many of the islands there are no formal emergency services, but for those that are populated services are available

HOW CAN I CALL AN AMBULANCE IN THE BAHAMAS?

HOW DO I CALL FOR HELP?

DIAL 919 TO CALL AN AMBULANCE IN THE BAHAMAS

911 is also possible for North American tourists

CAN I CALL FOR HELP ANYWHERE?

Yes, but getting help is the challenge. The Bahamas are an archipelago of over 700 islands. Many of the islands have no emergency medical services and can only be reached by helicopter or boat. Outside of New Providence and Grand Bahama islands, it’s important to research ahead of time the best way to find help.

WHAT OTHER EMERGENCY NUMBERS CAN I CALL?

919 connects you to ambulance, police and fire.

911 will do the same, available because of the large number of North American tourists visiting.

BAHAMAS HYPERBARIC CENTER: (242) 362-5765 OR (242) 422-2434

SEARCH AND RESCUE IN THE BAHAMAS

BASRA is a non-profit response organization operating in the Bahamas since 1960. BASRA “currently operates two vessels for search and rescue missions. These vessels cost $250 per hour to operate and missions range anywhere from 6 to 8 hours. We do not require those rescued to reimburse this fee as we are in the business of saving lives and operate as a non-profit charity.“

“With respect to the training requirements for the various staff levels, the N.E.M.S follows the United States National Highway Traffic Safety Administration National EMS Education Standards for Emergency Medical Responder, EMT, Advanced EMT and Paramedic training. Our technicians post training would sit the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians certification examination or a state licensing examination and would have to be registered and licensed with the Heath Professions Council of the Bahamas. The Dispatchers are trained through the United States National Academies of Emergency Medical Dispatch as Advanced Emergency Medical Dispatchers.”

Depending on where you are, you may be transported by ambulance, boat or helicopter.

GROUND TRANSPORT: “All ambulance drivers must be EST-2 and are also required to be certified under the US Emergency Vehicle Operation Course. …For those who have insurance or who can afford to pay, air ambulances are accessible on a continuous basis.” (Ezenkwele, 2001)

AIR MEDICAL TRANSPORT – Can be arranged via a number of air medical evacuation and patriating companies in the Bahamas and Florida (USA). Please see our map or the “Other Emergency Numbers” section above.

WHERE WILL I BE TRANSPORTED TO?

There are three main hospitals in the Bahamas with dedicated Accident & Emergency Departments which also service as the base station for ambulances in the Bahamas (see map above):

Public

Princess Margaret Hospital (Nassau)

Rand Memorial Hospital (Freeport)

Private

Doctors Hospital (Nassau)

HOW WILL I PAY?

93% of healthcare in the Bahamas is covered by the government, with 7% through revenue collection (Sweeting, 2015):

Visitors: 97% of visitors pay full bill

Non-Visitors

20% pay a registration fee only

about 70% pay less than half of their bill

1% pays full bill

ADDITIONAL INFO

COMMON EMERGENCIES AND VACCINATIONS

Common Emergencies in the Bahamas

Hurricanes

Drownings

Shark attacks

Zika Virus is also a risk in the Bahamas: Alert - Level 2, Practice Enhanced Precautions

Yellow Fever – “There is no risk of yellow fever in The Bahamas. The government of The Bahamas requires proof of yellow fever vaccination only if you are arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever. This does not include the US.” See full list here.

1965 – Yarmouth Castle Cruise Ship Fire: 90 people are killed (87 drowned) when a fire breaks out and sinks the cruise ship en route from Miami to Nassau. 465 survivors are picked up by two other ships and 14 persons flown to Nassau hospitals. Bahamian medical community and government recognizes need for better emergency services

1970s – First Accident and Emergency Department opened at PMH

1980s – A&E becomes part of Division of Surgery at PMH

1990s – A&E available at three tertiary hospitals

1993 – Efforts are made to organize ambulance services into National Emergency Medical Service (NEMS)

1997 – First A&E Medical Director at PMH

1999 – NEMS becomes part of enhanced 919 system for police and fire

2000s – Pre-Hospital Care is started through National EMS system

919 becomes official nationwide emergency access number, run out of police control room

EMS system is supported by Bahamian Red Cross and Royal Bahamas Defense Force ambulances in disasters

2009 – First EMS Medical Director appointed

Today NEMS has 112 staff members.

GOVERNMENT OVERSIGHT

The National Emergency Medical Services (N.E.M.S.) is the public or governmental system. It is an agency of the Public Hospitals Authority and is headed by a full-time Medical Director who is a Consultant Emergency Medicine Specialist; a first in the Department’s history. [Source: Public Hospitals Authority]

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THE EMS DATABASE

About

This database is intended for people who want to know how to call an ambulance in different countries – a question we happen to be trying to answer ourselves every day.

Any data, links, reports, assessments, opinions or other pertinent information regarding the contents of these pages should always be double-checked with the source directly. If you’d like to contribute, we’d be very happy to have the help – please send us an email!

NOTE: Trek Medics International assumes no responsibility or liability for the professional ability, reputation of, or the
quality of services provided by the persons, entities and/or institutions included in our database. Inclusion on this list is in no way an endorsement by Trek Medics. The person contracting the service is responsible for payment (i.e. Trek Medics does not pay).